A VISITING theatre company will perform five classic plays in as many weeks when it brings the tradition of rep to Dorset again this summer.

Favourites from Alan Ayckbourn, Noel Coward and JB Priestley will be among the works presented by the London Repertory Players at Wimborne’s Tivoli Theatre, starting later this month.

The players had become a summer fixture at Boscombe’s Shelley Theatre, which has yet to reopen after the Covid crisis.

Vernon Thompson of the London Repertory Players said it would be good to be back at the Tivoli, where the company was able to perform just one play – the comedy thriller Deathtrap – last year.

“It’s a wonderful venue and clearly we never dreamed of filling 450 seats but we are hoping to do better than last year when it was right in the middle of the ‘pingdemic’,” he said.

Last year's production also saw actor Jonny Warr step into a leading part at a week’s notice after the original actor contracted Covid.

Mr Thompson said rep was a “very special tradition”, with players performing one play while rehearsing the next one, and actors switching between big and small roles as the weeks went on.

“It’s old fashioned repertory with a different play every week,” he said.

Actor Mitch Capaldi will be in all five plays, while Mr Thompson will share directing duties with guest directors Richard Mullins and Su Gilroy.

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The season opens with Alan Ayckbourn’s farce Taking Steps, which runs from Wednesday, July 27, to Saturday 30.

The thriller The Small Hours, by Francis Durbridge, follows from Wednesday, August 3, to Saturday 6.

Fallen Angels by Noel Coward runs from Wednesday, August 10, to Saturday 13.

I Have Been Here Before by JP Priestley is performed from Wednesday, August 17, to Saturday 20.

Finally, Abigail’s Party runs from Tuesday, August 23 to Thursday 25.

Tickets cost £18.50, or £17 for the matinees, which are on Saturdays for all the shows except Abigail’s Party, whose matinee is on Thursday.

Tickets can be booked via the company’s website at londonrepertoryplayers.co.uk or with the Tivoli, which is at tivoliwimborne.co.uk